Character Matters--Using Newspapers to Teach Character

Provider Name: Newspaper in Education, The Record
Contact: Cynthia Forster
Address: 150 River St.
Hackensack NJ 07601
Phone: 201-646-4384
Fax: 201-646-4010
Toll Free:
Web Site: www.therecordnie.com
Email: forster@northjersey.com


PROGRAM FOCUS: In this section the provider lists the dimensions of student growth and development that its program intends to address.

Values and Virtues: Caring, Courage, Diversity, Family, Fairness, Giving, Honesty, Human Rights, Kindness, Pro Social Norms, Perseverance, Respect, Responsibility, Social Justice, Trustworthiness
Life Skills: Active Listening, Beliefs and aggression, Compromise, Cooperation, Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Conflict Resolution, Communication, Decision Making, Empathy, Goal Setting, Group Relationship Skills, Job Search Skills, Leadership, Moral Reasoning, Problem Solving, Refusal Skills, Relationship Skills, Sportsmanship, Student Involvement/Connectedness, Time Management
Physical, Mental, and Emotional Health: Adjustment to Change, Coping with Trauma, Drug/Alcohol Abuse SkillsPrevention, Fitness, Motivation, Self Awareness, Self Esteem, Sense of Community
Socially Negative Behaviors: Bullying, Gangs, Prejudice, Violence
Community Involvement: Bonding with Pro-Social Institutions, Citizenship, Community Building, Service Learning, Volunteering


AUDIENCE:

1. This is the target audience the program/services are designed to impact.
Students: K-12, At Risk, Special Needs
Staff: Teachers, Student Services, Support Staff
Community: Parents/Family, Business, Organizations/Agencies
2. This is the audience that will work directly with the program to achieve results.
Students: K-12,At Risk,Special Needs
Staff: Teachers, Student Services, Support Staff
Community: Parents/Family


PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

"This complimentary program uses reproducible study materials, in-paper activities, website activities, and the newspaper to focus on eight values of character development--respect, responsibility, caring, honesty, tolerance, courage, citizenship, justice, and civic education. The program can be extended to address key objectives of the NJ State mandate on Holocaust/genocide education. Teacher in-service programs and classroom visits are also included for all student levels, from kindergarten through high school. Cost involved is purchase of newspapers for classroom delivery at $.05 per copy. Programis only available within the delivery area of The Record newspaper, covering Bergen, Passaic, and parts of Morris and Hudson counties. Curriculum guides included in the program are: Character Matters, Building the Bridges: From Holocaust to Acceptance, Cultural Diversity, All together Now...Lviing and Learning in a Multicultural Society, and Living Without Hate."


PROGRAM COMPONENTS: These are the tools or services the program offers in each of the stages of program development listed below.

Needs Assessment: Interview
Implementation: Staff Development, Teacher Education, School Based Programs, Parent Programs, Curriculum Integration, Community Involvement
Evaluation Methods: Student Assessment, Survey


STAFF DEVELOPMENT: The following items provide information about the program training requirements, types of staff development offered, and where training is delivered.

Training: Required Training Delivered: On-Site
Amount of training required: Less than 1 Day
Multiple levels of training (i.e. introductory, intermediate, advanced): No
Format/Design: Workshop/Seminar, Large group Presentation, Follow up support


EVIDENCE OF EFFECTIVENESS: This section lists whether or not the program provider has evaluated the results of their program. If the program does have evaluation results, this section indicates what kinds of data were collected and where the results were published.

DO YOU HAVE EVIDENCE OF EFFECTIVENESS: Yes
1. Methods and/or designs that have been used: Testimonials
2. Results/outcomes were published in: Newspaper/Articles


SUPPORT MATERIALS: This section lists required and optional support materials.

Required Curriculum Guides
Optional